Martin Lewis has reminded Brits aged 21 or over that they could claim over £2,200. Thousands of 21-year-olds have a forgotten or long-lost Child Trust Fund, worth an average of £2,200.
Between 2002 and 2011, most children born in the UK received hundreds of pounds in tax-free savings cash from the Government, which was placed into a Child Trust Fund for them. Parents were then invited to add more money on top if they wanted to, and the money would be accessible by the child when they turned 18. However, as of this month, April 2026, more than 750,000 Child Trust Funds remain unclaimed, according to MoneySavingExpert, with more than £1.6 million up for grabs. HMRC says it’s writing to all 21-year-olds whose Child Trust Funds are still unclaimed to remind them they have an account in their name and they can now access their money. The Government says it’s targeting those aged 21 and over because they should have made some contact with HMRC by then (e.g., by starting their first job).
Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Lucy Rigby, said: “Hundreds of thousands of young people in this country don’t know they have a CTF, let alone how to access it.
“Some will have a couple of thousand pounds sat there that would really help them as they begin adult life. I’m determined that those who have CTFs are made aware they have this money.
“Together, we will ensure funds from these Child Trust Funds can be accessed by young people to help give them the best start to adult life.”
Martin Lewis’ Money Saving Expert has warned anyone receiving a Child Trust Fund letter that they should contact the provider of the fund, not HMRC.
It said: “Warning: You should always contact the CTF provider directly using contact information listed on their website.
Don’t contact HMRC to access your funds. You also don’t need to wait for HMRC to contact you about your CTF as it’s free and easy to locate yourself.”
It added that you don’t need to use a claims firm, as many charge hundreds for the privilege. It explained: “Some firms offer to trace lost CTFs and charge £100s for the service, targeting teens and young adults with ads online and via social media.
“But HMRC has warned that using a third-party firm is likely to take longer and that you will still need to provide the same information to the claims firm that you’d need to complete the search yourself.”